Merry Christmas from your St. Mark Staff! A Publication of St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church

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1 LIFE A Publication of St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church 2363 West Third Street, Davenport IA Phone: Pastor Travis Fisher: Annual subscription of $1.00 per year is included in payment of weekly pledge of members. December stmark@stmarkcares.org Volume 50 Issue 12 Merry Christmas from your St. Mark Staff!

2 Page 2 MISSION ACTION REPORT for OCTOBER One-hundred-seventy three items were donated to FAMILY RESOURCES for the month of OCTOBER. They received lots of sample and regular size personal care products, pillow cases, placemats, dish soap, shoes, clothing, totes, popcorn, cake mixes, single serving juice, Spiced Chi Latte Drink mix and other miscellaneous items. PREGNANCY RESOURCES received diapers, Enfamil formula samples, child's toothbrush, totes, baby clothes, maternity shirt, beauty kits and other miscellaneous items for a total of 116 items. THANK YOU for all of your generous donations. On October 21 we delivered 25 LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF PERSONAL KITS to Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. They were loaded onto Semis ready to be shipped wherever they are needed. THANK YOU so much for your help and support for this important world wide mission. The needs for FAMILY RESOURCES are as follows; pots, pans, dishes, utensils, towels, diapers, wipes, shampoo, bed linens, paper towels, dish soap, household cleaners and laundry detergent. The needs for PREGNANCY RESOURCES are as follows; bibs, pacifiers, baby towels, wash cloths, baby wash/shampoo, boy and girl winter clothing size months and 2T, diaper sizes; newborn, 2-5, and modern maternity clothes Psalm 56:8 "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record?" Fred and Milly Heskett December Wellness Opportunities 1. Soul Fit exercise class meets Tuesdays at 10:00am in Luther Hall. 4. Prayer Shawl Ministry meets Saturday, December 9 at 10:00am in the lounge. Prayer Shawl Ministry will not meet on December Home Communion kit distribution will be December Unity Point at Home Foot Care Clinic meets Friday, December 29, 12:30-2:30pm in the bride s room by appointment. Cost is $30. Note: The date has been rescheduled due to the holiday. 7. PN Bev s weekends at church will be December 9-10 and Friendship Group meets Tuesday, December 5, 11:30am at Hickory Gardens. The Sign up sheet is in the Lounge. 9. Life Together will meet Tuesday, December 12, 11:45am at Garner Farms Independent Living in the dining room for lunch and devotions. Cost is $7. Please let PN Bev know if you plan to attend or need a ride. A total of 510 Individuals were served at our food pantry in September Donations were received from: St. Mark Lutheran church members, VFW, Faith United Methodist Church, Asbury Methodist Church Garden Ministry and other Individuals. Thank You! The Friendship Group will meet at Hickory Gardens On December 5, 2017 at 11:30am Everyone is welcome to join us for lunch! If you would like to come, please sign up in the lounge. Hope to see you there! Hospitalized in November Marian Branson Elsie Quick MaryJane Ricketts Robert Stellrecht

3 Page 3 As I reflect on Advent and Christmas, as a pastor, I was reminded of the following piece that was shared with me over 15 years ago: JESUS vs. SANTA Santa lives at the North Pole JESUS is everywhere. Santa rides in a sleigh JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water. Santa comes but once a year JESUS is an ever present help. Santa fills your stockings with goodies JESUS supplies all your needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited. You have to wait in line to see Santa JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap JESUS lets you rest in His arms. Santa doesn t know your name, all he can say is Hi little boy or girl, what s your name? JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly JESUS has a heart full of love All Santa can offer is HO HO HO JESUS offers health, help and hope. Santa says You better not cry JESUS says Cast all your cares on me for I care for you. Santa s little helpers make toys JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. Santa may make you chuckle but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength. While Santa puts gifts under your tree JESUS became our gift and died on a tree the cross. Anonymous Jesus is still the reason for the season. Just like waiting for Santa we wait to celebrate Jesus Birth (Christmas) during the time of Advent. We wait with great anticipation because we know what has been outlined in the above poem. Then, when Christmas arrives, we recognize Jesus presence among us throughout the year and everywhere. We recognize Jesus Gift to us and celebrate his Birth (life), Death, and Resurrection each weekend when we gather for worship. May the love of Christ be in your hearts, not only during this season of Christmas (Incarnation), but throughout each year. Come worship with us this Advent and Christmas Season. Happy Advent and Merry Christmas, Pr. Travis M. Fisher-King

4 Page 4 The Tyranny of Giving by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson There is a wonder about Christmas as well as a tyranny. There is a wondrous briskness in the air and a rosy glow on the cheeks of early shoppers. There seems a purposefulness in those in the stores, though the planned buying lists of "Thanksgiving Friday" shoppers disintegrate into a mad frenzy by December 24th. Just grab at anything that Uncle Fritz can smile at when he unwraps it, even though no one can think of anything he really wants or needs. The season also imposes its tyranny on many of us. Instead of being able to give out of thoughtfulness and love, we often give because it is "expected". I heard of one couple who had 85 people they felt obligated to remember with a gift. No wonder the joy of giving falls away to a sort of panicked despair. It is time to refresh our giving with a truth from Scripture deeply imbedded into our consciousness from hundreds of repetitions at church offerings: "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7; NIV). Can we give cheerfully this Christmas? Only in so doing can we emulate the great Gift of Christmas. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16, KJV). Was our Father cheerful that night He sent His Son to lie in the manger- hay of Bethlehem's rejection? I'm not sure. He doubtless wept as He traced Jesus' path to the cross's torture and triumph. Like Jesus, "Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:2), the Father tempered His pain with His anticipation of the happiness and freedom which would surprise the recipients of His Gift upon opening. And so God gave, not reluctantly or because He was forced by popular opinion, but because He loved. No store-bought gift would do for those He held dear, it must be home-made. Nor was His choice of Gift an optional trinket for the "man who has everything." He gave the only possession that we don't have and really need. He did not give a thing, an object. He gave Himself--a costly Gift in the extreme, so expensive that many reject the Gift because of the obligation they know they incur upon acceptance. Herein lies a Christmas mystery. Only by opening the first Gift may we truly comprehend what is the real significance of giving and receiving gifts. May this season not capture us in its tyranny, but release us in an eager cheerfulness to give. Shared by your Stewardship Committee Please remember St. Mark in your year-end giving. All gifts received or postmarked by December 31 will be recorded in your 2017 Gifts. October 2017 General Fund Summary Oct Inc: $38, Oct Inc: $39, ($1,590.19) Regular Offerings Year to Date Received: $288,492.04/ 87.64%* Budgeted: $329, Amt Behind: ($40,674.66) *To eliminate our budget shortfall of $27,775, we need to have regular offering at 107% at year end. Food Pantry 9/30/17 Bal: $19, October Inc: October Exp: (1,017.08) 10/31/17 Bal: $19,176.73

5 Page 5 Advent and Christmas Decorations If you would like to honor or remember a loved one by sponsoring Advent and Christmas decorations, envelopes are available in the lounge, OR You may use this form and include it and your $10 in an envelope and bring or mail it to the church. Given by (your name) Offering Env. # In memory of -Or In honor of Forms and money are due in the office no later than December 10th. Thanks For Your Commitment! Thanks to those of you that have turned in your pledge for You should have received an acknowledgement in the mail. If there is a discrepancy concerning your pledge amount, or if you pledged and did not receive an acknowledgement, please contact Mick in the office at If you haven t turned in your pledge yet, it s not too late! Pledge forms are available in the narthex, in the lounge and in the office. Your completed form should be returned to the church office. Electronic Giving is a convenient, consistent way to help our church year round. Consider scheduling a recurring electronic contribution today. It s easy! You will no longer need to write out checks and prepare envelopes every week. Even when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, your electronic contributions will continue to be received on an uninterrupted basis. Get started today! Ask for an authorization form in the church office. Or visit our church website, Thanks to those of you who participated in this year s John Deere Classic s Birdies for Charity. As a result of your participation, St. Mark received a check in the amount of $1, which represents 100% of your pledges collected. In addition, John Deere Classic contributed a 10% bonus check in the amount of $ (up from the promised 5%) for all pledges received by the deadline. Because of your commitment to chip in, we received a total of $1, This money will be used to help cover the cost of replacing our antiquated telephone system which was installed in Again, thank you! Advent and Christmas Ministries The Social Ministry Committee has recommended that we as a congregation support ELCA GOOD GIFTS as our Christmas outreach. We will have sign up sheets and a tree decorated with the ornaments. What an excellent gift for the hard to buy for person on your list or in memory of a loved one. Look for this Giving tree the first week of advent! The mitten/sock/underwear tree will also be up in the lounge. Please help us fill the tree for those in need. God s Blessings Any questions please call Candy Nagel

6 Page 6 Notes from the Organ Bench: December 2017-by Ross Jallo November is perhaps my favorite season, liturgically speaking. Our lectionary readings give us a sense of urgency as we anticipate the Second Coming, and the season of Advent is already very nearly upon us. What's more, Advent has some of my very favorite hymns: "Savior of the nations, come", "Lo, he comes with clouds descending" and "Comfort, comfort ye my people". Advent is all about anticipation, and we see that in the hymns we sing. Now that the commercial season of Christmas has begun even before Halloween, it's become genuinely counter-cultural to observe Advent. It's also become more important than ever: we use this time of year to prepare ourselves for the Feast of the Incarnation (Christmas), and to skip right to the holiday itself robs us of a crucial chance to examine ourselves. As Christians, we are called to witness to God's gift to us, not to give in to the rampant commercialism that bombards us at this time of year. This year, in particular, Advent is as short as it can possibly be, since Christmas falls on a Monday. The morning of December 24th is still, however, the last Sunday of Advent, and we'll be observing it as such. Christmas Eve doesn't begin until sundown, and you won't be getting one single Christmas hymn from me until then! Join the Theology on Tap Tuesday Group on January 3 rd at 6PM to discuss the book Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall (Author), Denver Moore (Author), Lynn Vincent (Collaborator) It is about a dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery; an upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel; a gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. It is a story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it. It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana... and an East Texas honky-tonk... and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda... an upscale New York gallery... a downtown dumpster... a Texas ranch. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love. Doesn t that remind you of JESUS! Read, Come and Discuss! Sign up in the lounge so we can share the location of the gathering. Nancy Beaderstadt n.beaderstadt@yahoo.com Chuck Crispin cacrispin@yahoo.com Richard Dabillo Diane Fellman fellmand54@yahoo.com Don Henderkott pathenderkott@yahoo.com Joyce Hines Joyce.hines@msn.com Chip Schumann chipschu@aol.com John Muhlhausen

7 Page 7 Share-A-Meal Share a Meal is December 28 th at 6PM. Funds have been secured to provide chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. We are asking for volunteers to provide salads and desserts as well as some people to help serve the meal that evening. The winter time sees an increase in the number of people who are hungry. Please take time during the holiday season to help in this ministry. Please sign up in the lounge, so we know we will have enough food and helpers to serve. Save the date for the 2018 Lutheran Day on the Hill! Lutheran Day on the Hill on Thursday, February 8 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Training session: Capitol Hill Lutheran Church Advocacy with legislators: Iowa State Capitol Grassroots advocacy works. As a faith community, we have the opportunity to lift our voices and advocate on behalf of our Iowa neighbors at Lutheran Day on the Hill on February 8th, We hope you'll join us at the Iowa State Capitol. Together, we can make a difference in Iowa! This free event, sponsored by LSI and the three Iowa synods of the ELCA, is open to anyone who wants to learn more about citizen advocacy. Transportation will be provided from Iowa City Thank you to everyone who came out on that cold October afternoon for the Davenport Halloween parade as well as those who helped to put the float together and donated candy. Thank you to Amber Sherrod, Carol Morrison, who donated the truck to pull the float and to Scott Stevenson, who donated the trailer for the float itself! Everyone had an amazing time and had a blast handing out candy and our business cards and reminding everyone how Jesus is our Superhero! Young at Hearts St. Mark Lutheran Church Young at Hearts is hosting a Christmas Party on Friday, December 29th at 6:30pm. The festivities will include a potluck (please bring a dish to share) and our annual gift exchange (no gifts over $10.00, please.) This is a church wide event, so please come! If you have any questions, please contact Judy at or Bonny at Where Are We Going? The Carefree Travel Group (along with Gene Curran) is planning another Great Trip! This time they will be heading to Door County, Wisconsin. The trip will take place Monday, September 24, 2017 to Friday, September 28, If you are interested, talk with Jim or Diane Griffin. Look for itineraries and a sign-up sheet in the lounge during December. Dinner for Eight groups bring eight willing people together, and they will plan meals, games and other activities in their homes, restaurants or other establishments in order to get to know one another better. Once groups are formed, the first host will be selected from the group roster. He/she will contact members to arrange the details for the first gathering. Dinner groups are encouraged to be creative; consider picking a dinner theme night (i.e. Italian, dessert or soup night), and everyone can bring a dish that goes along with that theme. Each group of eight will be announced at the group meal on January 21 at 5:30PM, So you must sign up by January 14 th. Sign Up Today!

8 Page 8 The Youth would like to thank the St. Mark Preschool for allowing them to serve the concession stand for their Fall Festival. It was a great way for the Youth to help the preschool and earn money for their trip to the National Youth Gathering in Houston next year! Also, thank you to Nancy Beaderstadt, who helped get items needed for the concession stand. Just a couple notes about our upcoming fundraisers to help the Youth attend the National Youth Gathering in Houston next year: On December 10th, the Youth will hold a Bake Sale! Many goodies will be available for purchase, including caramels, cookies, breads, bars.. everything you may need for your upcoming holiday gatherings. Mark your calendars for Monday January 15th! The Youth Group will be at Pizza Ranch in Bettendorf from 5pm-8pm busing tables, running pizzas, and refilling your drinks. Make sure to invite your family and friends! Invite your Valentine to our Spaghetti Lunch held on Sunday February 11th in the Meyer Activity Center (Gym). The cost of the meal is $5 and will include spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, dessert, and drink. Raffle items will also be available! Our Annual Palm Sunday Breakfast will be served in the Meyer Activity Center (Gym) on Sunday March 25th from 7am-10:30am. Breakfast will include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, fruit, danishes, muffins, juice, milk, and coffee. Donations will be graciously accepted. Youth in the Community: The St. Mark BIG Youth Group was able to serve lunch for workers at a local Habitat for Humanity site on October 14th. The workers were greatly appreciative of the Youth being able to feed them as they helped a family in need. The Youth will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army on Saturday December 9th from 10am-12pm at the West Locust Hy-Vee. Please stop and say hello! Sunday School News We have a slight change of plans for our Christmas Program on December 10th. We will be putting on a shortened version of our normal Christmas Program, which will include the telling of the Christmas Story and the children will be singing songs. Because of this change, we will not be having a dress rehearsal on December 3rd following the 10am service. Instead, we will be practicing our songs during our normal chapel time on December 3rd. On December 10th, we ask that the students are in their classrooms by 9am so we can have a short lesson before practicing our songs and run through the Christmas Story before we perform at the 10am service. The children will stay in their Sunday School classrooms until it is time to perform. After their performance, they will be sent to the nursery or released to their parents. If you have any questions about these changes, please speak to Amber Sherrod We will have Sunday School on December 17th, but we invite all students to meet in Luther Hall for a Birthday Celebration for our Lord and Savior. We will have crafts, games, music, and a lesson. We ask that you please pick up your children from Luther Hall at 9:55am following the celebration. Please let your child s teacher know if they will not be in attendance. Sunday School classes will not take place on December 24th and December 31st, so our students and staff can spend time with their families over the holidays. Classes will resume on January 7th at 9am. The Sunday School staff would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a most blessed New Year!

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10 ST. MARK LIFE St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church 2363 West Third Street, Davenport, Iowa Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 909 Davenport, Iowa Worship Times Saturday Worship with Holy Communion 5:00pm Sunday Worship with Holy Communion 8:00am and 10:0am Sunday School 9:00am Sunday Morning Worship on: December 24, Celebrating Advent 4 January 31, New Year s Eve 10:00am Christmas Eve Schedule - December 24, :00PM -Family Service 9:30PM -Pre-service Music 10:00PM Candlelight Service For your convenience, nursery attendants will be available during the 5:00PM Service.